22nd Annual General Meeting of ACÉPO

Toronto, January 30, 2021 – The Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario (ACÉPO), at its Annual General Meeting on January 30, 2021, presented its 2020 Annual Report, unveiled its new 2020-2025 Strategic Plan and took the opportunity to reaffirm the pluralistic nature of the French-language public education system.

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During its Annual General Meeting, ACÉPO congratulated the French-language public school boards for the tremendous work accomplished since the beginning of the pandemic.

“Since March, the trustees, directors of education, administrative and education teams in our four school boards have been working tirelessly, openly, committed, innovatively, patiently and, above all, wholeheartedly to implement everything necessary to ensure the best possible learning environment for their students, families, staff and communities. No effort was spared, despite the sometimes impossible conditions under which they had to work,” said Denis Chartrand, Chair of ACÉPO, during the presentation of the association’s 2020 Annual Report. 

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The association recalled that in difficult times, inequalities try to increase. Education has an important role to play in countering this trend. Solidarity, empathy and resilience are the founding pillars of the French-language public education system in Ontario. It is with this in mind that ACÉPO presented its members, the four French-language public school boards in Ontario, with a plaque reaffirming the pluralistic and humanistic character of their schools. Engraved on the plaque is Article 1 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which inspires and guides the association and its members.

“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.” – Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – United Nations – 1948

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This symbolic gesture stems from the thoughtful work that ACÉPO has undertaken with its new 2020-2025 Strategic Plan. More than ever, ACÉPO is consolidating its position to promote equitable and inclusive access to high quality public education.

“Inclusion and equity must become the common thread running through the actions of ACÉPO and public school trustees in Ontario,” says Sylvie Landry, Vice Chair of ACÉPO.

The new strategic directions that ACÉPO has set for itself are “Representing School Boards in Labour Relations,” “Representing the Common Interests of French-Language Public Education,” and “Developing Sustainable Strategic Leadership.” Its new mission requires it to be a strong voice for the advancement of French-language public education in Ontario so that students throughout Ontario have equitable and inclusive access to high-quality French-language public education.

ACÉPO would like to thank the trustees, Ontario’s public school boards and community partners for their guidance and support in the development of this new strategic plan and ensures the continuity of its work with the re-election by acclamation of Denis M. Chartrand for a fifth term as Chair of ACÉPO and Sylvie Landry as Vice Chair for a third term.